This invention relates in general to racks for carrying vehicles transportable by larger vehicles, such as motor vehicles, including tricycles, recumbents, wheelchairs, and Segways, and in particular to an improved vehicle rack having a means to assist in the raising and lowering of the rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,659 discloses a bicycle rack which is a good example of a type of vehicle rack for which the present invention can be used to great advantage. The disclosure of said patent is incorporated herewith by reference.
Vehicles used to move within shorter distances or used recreationally or as part of a fitness regime often need to be transported via motor vehicles such as by bus, trolley, train, van or car. Very often the vehicles are secured to the outside of the motor vehicles. The racks often have a stowed position and a vehicle receiving position. As the racks are made of a rugged, often heavy, material movement from the stowed position to the vehicle receiving position and vice versa can take some strength. Also, the user may have one hand occupied holding, or steadying the vehicle while attempting to reposition the rack.
In addition, as vehicle racks are modified to carry more vehicles such as bicycles, tricycles, recumbents, wheelchairs, and Segways, including multiples of each type or combinations of different vehicles, the weight of the rack can be considerable. So, in connection with a rack as disclosed in the above-mentioned patent, and also in connection with other racks, moving the rack from a stowed, upright position, to a lowered, carrying position, or from the lowered position to the upright position, can require a certain level of strength to lift the rack. While this is easily accomplished by many people, in some cases, it would be desirable to have a way to minimize the amount of strength and exertion required to move a rack between positions.